Festivals in Mexico

It's early November in Oaxaca, Mexico, and the city and surrounding countryside are dripping flowers in preparation for the Day of the Dead. It sounds mournful, even somewhat ominous, but the atmosphere here is more jovial than funereal.

El Dia de los Muertos (the Day of the Dead) is Mexico's popular two-day holiday honouring the dead. Oaxaca, 550 kilometres southeast of Mexico City, is one region where this strong holiday tradition survives.

Proudly they stood in matching garb overshadowed by their huge, broad-rimmed and silver-embroidered sombreros. Their traditional silver decorated costumes with short jackets, tight-fitting wool pants, ruffled white shirts and pointed shining boots appeared to emphasize and give colour to their tunes.

"You should be here in July when we hold our annual Guelaguetza. It's the most beautiful festival in the world." My Zapotec Indian taxi driver in Oaxaca, capital of Mexico's most colourful state, exuded pride as he talked about his state's national dance extravaganza.

On a warm April morning as I strolled through the San Marcos Gardens in Aquascalientes, a vendor beckoned me to come over and have my fortune told by a supposedly clairvoyant canary. I had my doubts, but he assured me that my future was in the cards. It seemed the canary was to select a card from a deck of Tarot cards. As luck would have it, the bird foretold happiness. This was the only luck I was to have in the next few days, as I experienced the San Marcos National Fair, the fair of fairs, which consumes the industrial city of Aquascalientes, located at the very center of Mexico, from the second week of April to the first week of May each year. It's an occasion for superlatives-the oldest, most famous and largest fair in all of Mexico.

It's September 15, but it looks more like Christmas on the Paseo de Reforma, all decked out in red, green and white banners and flags as Mexico City readies itself for Fiestas Patrias, Independence Day, the biggest fiesta of the year.

The air hangs heavy any time of year in Veracruz, Mexico's hot and sultry principal port city. But the hearts of Jarochos, as the people of the city are known, are light, for winter means Carnaval, the wildest pre-Lenten celebration north of Rio.

A hush fell over the crowd of about 3,000 perched on the steps of the magical church and pyramid of Cholula. All were anxiously waiting for the same thing - the total eclipse of the sun.

Vying with Tokyo as the largest city in the world, Mexico City offers a myriad of cultural opportunities. But none shows off the city more than the Historic Center Festival held each year in April

Located 185 km southwest of Mexico City, in the northern Guerrero State, the streets of Taxco (Tahs-co) are lined with silver--silver jewelry, that is. In 1953 to honor the silver artisans, Mexico's President declared the last Saturday in November through the first Sunday in December National Silver Day.

The San Marcos Fair, held from the second week in April to the first week of May each year, attracts thousands of visitors from all over Mexico and the United States. It dates back to 1604 when a small indigenous Indian settlement, San Marcos, was founded within walking distance of the growing Spanish city of Aguascalientes.

Cozumel is well known as one of the premier diving destinations in the world. But many do not know that Carnival Week on Cozumel is one of the most colorful and biggest celebrations in Mexico. It is a week of parades, dance, costumes, music and street carnivals.

For ten days at the end of January, the sleepy town of Alamos, Sonora, wakes up to the lilting strains of guitars, the pounding rhythms of rock bands and the echoing arias of opera stars, all part of the Dr. Alfonso Ortiz Tirado Cultural Festival.

Visitors and locals scream, sing, shout and dance amid confetti and ribbons. Bands of all kinds play the infectious rhythms of the State of Sinaloa. And the food-oh, the food-camarones (shrimp) prepared in every way possible, washed down with ice cold Pacifico beer, for it's Carnaval Time, Mazatlán's biggest pachanga (fiesta).